Author: Kurt Philip Behm

I am a lifelong author with 21 books published to date—one best seller. Much of my writing is about the deception of time and its many disguises. My Poetry 'An Anthology Of Perception,' is now available in four volumes. In addition I have a 175 page Poem 'After Midnight,' that was published in 2014. My Historical Fiction series, 'The Sword Of Ichiban' is now up to volume 8 which is being published this Spring ... Vol #1- The Sword Of Ichiban Vol #2- Darkening Sun Vol #3- Revenge Along The War Trail Vol #4- Death From The Sky Vol #5- Jumping Into the Darkness Vol #6- The Fall City Mandate. Vol #7- Approaching Storm Vol #8- Brothers In Blood One autobiographical novel, 'The Death Of The Playground' a Best Seller, published in 2007. One travel novel, 'Searching For Crazy Horse,' published in 2005, recapping my forty years of motorcycle touring in the American Rocky Mountain West. I have written one Children's Book, 'Sammy & Bumpers' that was published in 2016. All of my books are available at Barnes & Noble, Amazon, and better Book Stores world wide. Kurt Philip Behm

A Way Back

Buried reflection,

pits of regret

Reasons to wander,

darkness forgets

Images rising,

blessed by the sun

Timeless reversal

—forgiveness begun

(Dreamsleep: February, 2021)

Akicita

One may lose his honor

—but it can never be taken from him

(Pine Ridge South Dakota: July, 2009)

A Prisoner Of Time

Drifting into the past,

tomorrow slipped further away

Drifting into the past,

my writing had little to say

Drifting into the past,

the moments became moments no more

Drifting into the past

—being no longer certain or sure

(Dreamsleep: February, 2021)

Stirring The Pot

Life abhors a vacuum,

writing hates it too

So many questions, so much space,

meat to fill the stew

Emptiness is calling,

for words to write the wrongs

Where idle minds take up the space

—left vacant for too long

(Austin Park: February, 2021)

To My Children

For now, I want to see your face,

and gaze into your eyes

To hear your voice within my ears

—I’ll text you when I die

(Rosemont Pennsylvania: February, 2021)

The North Wind

Killer of dreams

—the moment says goodbye

(Pine Ridge South Dakota: July, 2009)

Garden Path

How do you balance

the kind and the cruel

The good and the bad

of life’s golden rule

As reason pulls tightly,

treason pulls back

Living in conflict,

together intact

Tragic, comedic,

while often as both

Angels and Demons

commingle betrothed

A savior, destroyer,

calling our name

A garden of riches

—caught in the flames

(Haverford College: February, 2021)

Rushing Toward Mediocrity

Let’s all just be average,

no rich and no poor

Excuses our quotient,

single digits the score

Masquerading as fairness,

our heritage veiled

In lock step we march,

voices mute—nothing hailed

(The New Room: February, 2021)

Reflections Of Self

If a genius chooses not to embrace his gift,

will he live to endure deeper pain

If an artist doesn’t strive to create and unfold,

will she die in a chasm of chains

If a Prophet loses faith and abandons his path,

will he wander a desert unknown

If all lovers grow distant, away from the heart,

will the world lose its hope

—so alone

(The New Room: February, 2021)

Word Massacre

Ravagers of Poesy,

spear points of denial

Mongol hordes of fancied verse,

spewing dense and vile

Free words they herd together,

to drive toward a cliff

Trampled once they hit the ground

—by verbal hippogriffs

(Buffalo Jump-Sheridan Wyoming: July, 2019)